Brady, Patriots left with nothing but disappointment

On a night when Tom Brady needed to prove that he was the greatest quarterback ever to play the game, he proved something else. No one wins them all.

JONATHAN COMEY

On a night when Tom Brady needed to prove that he was the greatest quarterback ever to play the game, he proved something else.

No one wins them all. Especially when your Hall of Famer plays like just another guy.

For the second season in a row, Brady struggled in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens; this time, it cost the Patriots a trip to the Super Bowl. There were no miracle plays in the end zone, no missed field goals by the opposing kicker; just Ray Lewis and the Ravens celebrating a 28-13 win on the Gillette Stadium turf that was supposed to be a house of horrors for all who dare tread upon it.

And so, the Ravens will be heading to the Super Bowl in two weeks time while the Patriots wonder what might have been — and no one will lose more sleep over it than Brady.

"Disappointed," Brady said after a pause when asked how he felt, and what else could you say? It was a disappointing end to a season that could've been, should've been something more.

With the New England defense undermanned and outmatched, Brady had to be perfect — and instead, after a night spent battling the wind, the Baltimore defense and the second-half scoreboard, he was far from it.

Instead of confetti raining down on the field for the second straight season, the Ravens danced for most of the final three minutes of the game — which seemed to last forever, as Baltimore's fans did a continuous chant of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army."

"Bet y'all didn't expect that!" Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith said as Baltimore came off the field, and it's safe to say he was right.

The Patriots were sitting on one of the most remarkable streaks in NFL history: 71 games at home with a halftime lead, 71 straight wins for the New England Patriots.

The streak ended Sunday. So did the Patriots' season.

"When (the Ravens) started to take a knee (to end the game), that's when reality set in," Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "You put a lot into it, and when it ends like this €» it hurt."

The Patriots had forced at least one turnover in 30 of their last 31 games, but on this night, they just couldn't make anything happen. With injuries a factor and the Ravens mixing smoothness and toughness on the offensive side, New England failed to make plays while Baltimore made several.

And in the end, the blame has to rest with Brady.

Once the Ravens figured out that they'd need to win the game with the pass and not the run, they did just that, throwing the ball all over the field. Joe Flacco finished with three touchdowns and no interceptions, and was the star of the second half.

Meanwhile, Brady was out of sync. He had time to throw, but didn't put the ball where he needed to, and the absence of Rob Gronkowski was notable.

But Brady is supposed to be at his best in moments like this, and instead he's struggled. He struggled in the playoffs last year and he struggled Sunday at the worst possible time.

A series midway through the fourth quarter summed up Brady's day; he'd driven the Patriots into the red zone, down 15, needing a score in the worst way. He'd just passed Brett Favre to become the all-time passing yardage leader, and if there's ever been an emptier milestone reached it'd be tough to imagine one.

On first down, the Patriots picked up six yards — they'd been excellent on first down all day, leaving Brady in favorable situations.

On second down, he threw just behind running back Shane Vereen, who couldn't hang on. On third down, he threw it behind Welker near the sideline. And on fourth down, he scrambled, looked, looked, and with nothing available and the Ravens closing in, he threw the ball away.

And with it, the Patriots' hopes for another Super Bowl championship.

"We didn't earn it," Brady said.

In the end, unfortunately, that statement was one of the most accurate moments of his day.